The Nicol Entrepreneurial Institute at Carleton University will offer $140,000 in funding each year to support up to 18 student entrepreneurs. The Institute has named the first recipients of a Nicol Internship, who will receive between $7,000 to $7,500, office space at the Invest Ottawa startup incubation centre at 80 Aberdeen, and mentors from the Ontario Centres of Excellence, Invest Ottawa, National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program, and the Carleton Entrepreneurs Program.
“The Nicol interns personify the talent, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of Carleton’s extraordinary students,” said Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte. “Mentored by our faculty, they have developed winning strategies for success, not only on campus but in business.”
The $140,000 a year will be generated by interest on a $3.5-million endowment fund contributed by the Wes and Mary Nicol Foundation and Carleton University. Income generated by the endowment will support four to six Carleton students each academic term (12 to 18 students a year).
“What distinguishes Carleton University from other Canadian universities is that we support students from all academic disciplines to launch and grow entrepreneurial companies” said Dr. Tony Bailetti, director of the institute. “We have created a machine that produces student entrepreneurs who then create wealth for our region.”
The names of the inaugural Nicol interns and their company tag lines are:
- Aula Beseiso (Fourth-year Bachelor of Arts, Applied Economics student),
Healthy food products and labelling - Natasha D’souza (Technology Innovation Management graduate student),
Virtual therapy for special needs children - Boris Fisman (First-year Bachelor of Arts, Economics student),
Mobile communications between nightlife establishments - James Makienko (Technology Innovation Management graduate student),
Collaborative scalable video transcription - Nick May (First-year Bachelor of Science, Chemistry student)
Water-activated shaving product
Established last August, the Nicol Entrepreneurial Institute oversees paid internships that provide students with the skills and experience they need to launch and grow their own companies. Carleton undergraduate and graduate students from all faculties are able to apply for these internships. They will promote and instill the highest spirit of entrepreneurialism at the university.
Contact:
Kimberley Swartz
Media and External Relations Officer
Sprott School of Business
613-520-2600 x1573
kimberley_swartz@carleton.ca
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 in News Releases
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